My cardiologist is treating me for afib and possible CHF. He is bugging me big time to have a cardiac cath. to "rule out" CAD. I am resisting this, as many years ago I had a very bad experience with the femoral artery entrance way for the catheter procedure, and recovery was lengthy.
The cardiologist says "most" time they now do this through the wrist artery, and it's a "piece of cake" (they say piece of cake about everything!). I am told the recovery is much easier this way, and wondering how often this "newer" procedure is actually done. Needless to say, I'm skeptical.
Anyone experience this , and how did it go? Thanks in advance!
JimF
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frazeej
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I had an angiogram done via radial artery in 2017 with zero issues during the procedure. The pneumatic wrist band was fitted and slowy released over about two hours but on getting dressed to leave later in the evening the wound opened with rather messy results. Another two hours of pneumatic wrist band later and all was well . Since then due apparently to some arterial stenosis I no longer have a radial pulse on the right which can be fun winding nurses up when they can't get a reading.
On the other hand I have had at least two femoral entry angiograms with zero issues
Hi, post heart attack and before my Afib diagnosis, I had a Coronary Angiogram (Mar 2019) looking for CHD or any root cause for my MI.
This is my only experience of this procedure. They went through my wrist and up the radial artery. I had some pain relief and a sedative, it was uncomfortable at points but not painful. It is a little hazy (sedative) but I do remember laughing a little and talking with the staff, as well as looking what was going on, on the monitors. The whole process leaves me without any anxiety, I obviously would like to avoid having one again but would do so, if required.
A small pressurised cuff is placed on wrist where the catheter enters. As I recall, the pressure was released gradually over a few hours and monitored for bleeding. For me, this was a day case and I was discharged later in the day.
I didn’t have any issues with entry wound. It was sore and bruised for a while but healed fine.
I understand groin entry is a larger procedure and therefore I’m grateful my local centre could do it via the wrist.
I haven’t had this procedure (had most others) I must admit I am with you on this one and hope they never deem it necessary.
The comment “piece of cake” just about sums up some of them who have no idea what it is like to be on the receiving end of some of the things they do.
Worst experience was a catheter up my urethra via the only entry point whilst awake and being told to stop wincing. I did actually asked him if he (male nurse) had ever had to experience this the answer was no.
Thanks Pete! I "feel your pain" over the procedure you described! "I feel your pain" is another dumb statement! No you don't!! You're not feeling anything like I am!! LOL.
I had an angiogram done through the wrist in 2012/13. During the procedure the radial artery kept going into spasm, making a nice mess on the floor.
The wristband was used and slowly released over 4 hours. A few days later I was very bruised from hand to elbow so obviously still bleeding internally. I had no pulse in that wrist straight after the procedure.
My outcome wasn’t good. I had a lump come up several weeks later which was infected. Referred urgently to a vascular surgeon who said I had a false aneurysm. Had to have surgery. There was a massive clot in there and my radial artery had snapped and pinged up my arm. Nothing could be done to save it.
If I hold a phone to my ear for a little while I get pins and needles in that arm and hand. So whilst I have a reasonable blood supply in that arm via the ulna artery it is not ideal.
I was told this is a rare complication of that procedure.
I had an angiogram via the radial artery a few months ago. It was done as a day case and, as others have said, the longest part was the gradual release of pressure in the dressing they put on afterwards. That took about four hours, whereas the actual angiogram was 15 mins. A bit of discomfort in the arm whilst they were doing it but nothing terrible and recovery afterwards was unremarkable. Whilst I wouldn’t go searching one out, if I had to have another I wouldn’t be concerned about it.
I was told I would need one prior to going on the list for valve repair surgery but I asked if there was anything else they could do to check the arteries, as, by that point I was fed up of being poked, prodded and stuff being stuck in me.They grumbled but actually did a CT scan instead.
Good for you. Yes after my bad experience, I refused to have any procedure that involves wires being passed through arteries/veins. I had a CT angiogram, so much better and not invasive.
I'd already had 7 cardioversions, a failed ablation and an horrific TOE so, facing open heart surgery as well made me less obliging to have something else shoved in me 😁.
I had an angiogram in the early days of my AF about 8 or 9 years ago. It was done through my wrist because I was on Warfarin and had many mixed advice re stopping this drug before a colonoscopy. When I told my cardiologist about this, he said no problem we'll do it through the wrist and you won't have to stop it. I have to say I found it very painful on my wrist and it took ages to stop bleeding afterwards. This was about 2 days before Christmas and when I got home, a huge lump came up on my wrist. I rang up and was told to come back in and my cardiologist said it was only a haematoma and pressed so hard on my wrist to make it go down that I nearly passed out. The lump went but by the time I got back to the car park, it had come up again. He said he couldn't see me again and if I was worried, I should go to A&E. I put up with it over Christmas and on 28th went to A&E who said they were concerned it was an aneurysm and referred me to see the cardiologist the next day which was the first working day after Christmas. I did this but by then it had started to come down and was reassured it was only a haematoma. Wouldn't want this again. My husband had his angiogram through the groin and had no problems at all. However, last year when he had a heart attack and had to have angioplasty to fit a stent, they went through his wrist as they prefer this route. After about 15 mins of trying to shove it up the arm with him protesting in agony, they said his muscle had gone into spasm and went through the groin without any pain or problem whatsoever. The wrist wound was still weeping the next day and they wouldn't let him go home until it stopped! So everyone is different. Hope yours goes well
My understanding is that these days the wrist is the preferred option as recovery is quicker and easier if everything goes according to plan. You don't have to lie still for several hours and can go to the loo freely, in contrast to the femoral artery option. I had mine by the wrist and everything went well.
I had two angiograms done 5 years ago, both through the wrist. The first was straight after a heart attack when they fitted two stents but they saw 2 more blockages so wanted another later to see how bad they were. It's simply a matter of fitting a canula into your wrist. You ate sedated but not unconscious. After the procedure they fit a pressure bandage on to of the c anula until the blood clots. The pressure is gradually released until they are sure it's not bleeding. Then it's tea and toast. It really is very simple. With my first one a nurse released the pressure bandage too early and I had one massive bruise right from my wrist to elbow. It wasn't a problem and went away in a co u ple of weeks. For the second one I couldn't even see a pinprick mark where the canula went in. I went in at 8.30am; got into the room at 9 and was home which is an hour away by 1.30pm. The first didn't worry me at all but I was terribly anxious for the second one but it really was, as they say, a doddle. My ONLY complaint was that they wouldn't let me watch the screens. As for your GP pushing you for an angiogram, I think i too would object at least for now. A CT scan is much less invasive although not quite as accurate but if that did show possible problems you could then have the angiogram to g et more detail. Any procedure like that carries risks but they do these things day in day out now and the risk is very small. Someone wrote on here about having something go wrong just this week b ut that really is the only one I've seen since I joined 5 years ago.
Thanks for the advice! You're right about the CT, but apparently they don't like that in this case because of the slightly reduced resolution. Figures! JimF
My last angiogram, 10 months ago, was done through the wrist. I was fully awake and felt the scope snake up my arm and shoulder, but did not feel it in the heart. I had no recovery problems at the entrance site or elsewhere.
I was concerned that the stress of dealing with it might trigger Afib, but that did not happen.
Hi I’ve had several angiograms, through both access points, femoral artery and radial artery, ironically the only complication I had was after the femoral access and a large and quite sore haematoma that lasted about four weeks. It was probably due more to the fact it was an emergency procedure and I was on long term warfarin which I hadn’t had time to stop preprocedure so wasn’t really the clinicians fault just the fact my clotting was more of problem at the time.
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